


mirrored I pǝɹoɹɹᴉɯ

by MysticAssassin



Series: Natsume Week 2019 [3]
Category: Natsume Yuujinchou | Natsume's Book of Friends
Genre: Gen, Natsume needs saving, Natsume's dog circle, Role Reversal, Spirit!Natsume, The ayakashi are human, Tumblr: Natsume Week 2019
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-11
Updated: 2019-07-11
Packaged: 2020-06-26 05:39:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,015
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19761715
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MysticAssassin/pseuds/MysticAssassin
Summary: Natsume knows that no matter what happens he can count on his friends. HumansandSpirits.Day 3 - Role Reversal(These will be a series of drabbles that follow along the lives of everyone that has touched Natsume's life in some way.)





	mirrored I pǝɹoɹɹᴉɯ

“Why do you always have to get involved with things not of your concern, brat?”

“I can’t just leave it alone, Sensei. She asked for my help.”

“If she tries to eat you, don’t come running to me.”

Natsume hesitated a moment. 

“I don’t need your help.”

His bodyguard grumbled. “Idiot.”

Something glimmered in the underbrush of the forest, and Natsume ran toward it.

“Sensei, I found it!”

Nyanko was quick on his heels to see what worked up such a fuss. When he saw the object, a shudder ran the length of his sides as Natsume picked it up.

“Don’t look into the surface, idiot!”

But it was too late. 

Natsume caught sight of his reflection and gasped. There was nothing particularly off about what he saw. The image looked like him. But that was all it was. Because it did not reflect _him._

A smile. The image in the mirror grinned. He hadn't been making that expression.

“Sensei!” He called out in alarm.

He heard a faint, “Natsume!” that seemed more like a dream the more he thought of it. He questioned if he had heard it at all. The quiet quickly settled in and there wasn’t another sound. As he turned to take in his surroundings, everything looked the same. But there was no Nyanko. And his world seemed to tilt as he realised that everything was flipped in the opposite direction.

“Sensei!” He called out once more to the silence. Nothing called back.

He quickly puzzled out that it must have something to do with the mirror he’d found. It was an _ayakashi’s_ mirror after all. But whatever happened, Natsume knew he was alone. Truly alone it seemed. There was not a single sound in the forest beyond his own breathing. 

He began running in the direction he was facing, hoping that he would either run into Nyanko-sensei or escape the thick of trees. Whichever came first.

Natsume didn't know how long he ran before light started filtering through the trees, and he knew he was almost out.

As he came crashing through the trees, he heard a startled yell and looked up to apologise. But what he saw caught his voice in his throat for a second before relief washed over him.

“Hinoe!” He almost hugged her. Almost, before he caught himself. And before she let out an ear piercing screech that acted enough like a shield to keep him back. 

“How dare you try to touch me! You filthy _man_. Stay away!”

Natsume was stunned. Then a sadness seized his heart. 

“Hinoe, don’t you think that’s a bit harsh?” Natsume’s eyes drew toward the person that spoke. Something about the person seemed very familiar. His eyes caught the golden earrings and the recognition was petrifying. 

“Misuzu?”

The other boy tilted his head, before narrowing his eyes in Natsume’s direction. “How do you know our names?”

“What? That’s not very funny, if it’s a joke...” 

But there was no one laughing. In fact the group only seemed to grow more suspicious. And it was only more concerning because Natsume seemed to pick out even more familiar faces like Benio. Or slightly changed, but recognizable ones like Chobihige.”

“It’s definitely not a joke.” A boy with an eye-patch covering one eye spoke.

“Not a joke. Not a joke.”

“Middle ranks?!” Natsume’s confusion only mounted. And they seemed just as confused by the odd title. “Why are you all human?”

Hinoe scoffed. “I thought something was off about you. Why is a spirit lingering around the forest? You don’t value your afterlife do you?”

“I...don’t understand….”

“Perhaps he’s a _yurei._ He looks human enough.” Benio chimed in.

“They tend to be unable to accept their deaths.” Misuzu added wisely.

“I’m not dead.” Natsume all but pleaded, and everyone fell silent. “I was looking for a mirror, and got separated from Nyanko-sensei. Ah, it must have been something with the mirror. He warned me not to look into it ...”

“Who?”

“Who? Who?” The middle ranks clearly kept their usual repertoire regardless of how they looked. 

“Madara.” 

The name alone earned a few gasps and looks varying on disbelief, and amazement.

“You know of Madara as well?” Misuzu questioned, Natsume seeming to have captured his full attention.

Before he could reply, Hinoe cut him off. Her eyes narrowed as she stepped closer into his space, momentarily forgetting her earlier aversion.

“Tell me more about this mirror.”

Natsume didn’t know much about it himself but he recounted everything that he could, including the female spirit that had requested he look for it. The more he elaborated, the spirits-turned-human’s eyes began to shine in dawning realisation. 

“It’s called an _ungaikyou._ And as you possibly already know by now it has the ability to trap spirits within its surface.”

Natsume’s head was beginning to hurt. “But I’m not a spirit.”

“Well you’re one _now._ And whatever was hiding inside has replaced you.”

Natsume felt his heart seize in panic. If the spirit in the mirror had replaced him, that meant they had access to his life. His friends. The Fujiwaras….

“We’ll help you.” Misuzu spoke just as Natsume’s palms started to sweat.

“Don’t just volunteer me for things.” Hinoe spoke. 

“You seem to know us in your reality. We would be spirits there, if you claim to be human as well. Yet, you associate with us.” 

“Of course.” Natsume spoke even though his heart was still caught in his throat. “You all are special to me.”

A shiver ran along Hinoe’s sides. “How can you say something so revolting without a hint of shame.”

“If he’s our friend in his world, he’s our friend here too.”

“Friend! Friend!” 

“You all are disgusting.” Hinoe folded her arms across her chest, but her face didn’t exactly show the disgust she seemed to claim. “But I’m interested in this mirror...so I’ll help.”

There was an eruption of cheers scattered throughout the small group. A watery smile faintly lifted the corners on Natsume’s lips knowing that he could count on his friends no matter where or _when_ he was.

  


  


**Author's Note:**

> Originally I'd thought the prompt for this was a typo- thinking it was meant to be "Gender Swap." And came up with a cool idea for that, then saw it was, indeed, Genre. So I decided with the Role Reversal. But it was really hard to write for some reason (probably because my heart was fully invested in Gender swapping.)
> 
> I finally finished this after working on it for several days :/ Then I see that I probably could've still used the the gender swap with the role reversal, and I'm just -_-


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